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Do exemptions need to be renewed every year?

Most property owners do not need to renew their exemptions. A homeowner only needs to apply
for the Homeowner and Senior Exemptions once. These two exemptions are auto-renewed
thereafter as long as there is no change in eligibility.

In 2020, the Illinois state legislature proactively added one-year auto-renewals to support
homeowners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Any eligible homeowner who received the Senior
Freeze, Persons with Disabilities, or Veterans with Disabilities Exemptions in tax year 2019 (issued
in 2020) will have these exemptions automatically renewed in tax year 2020.

What if an exemption was missing from a second installment tax bill?

If a property owner has paid a second installment tax bill in full, but it was missing an exemption
they qualified for that tax year, the CCAO can help them correct this by filing a Certificate of Error.
Certificate of Error applications for missed exemptions can be submitted in person or online with
the CCAO. To learn more, visit cookcountyassessor.com/exemptions or call (312) 443-7550.

After the CCAO verifies the application, the Cook County Treasurer issues a refund check for the
missed property tax savings.

Summer Savings from Property Tax Exemptions

The dollar amount of property tax
exemption savings can change each
year because tax rates can change
each year. The local tax rate for
each property is determined by the
Cook County Clerk and is based on
the revenue needs of local
governing bodies each year. The
second installment property tax bill
issued by the Cook County
Treasurer lists a home’s local tax
rate and exemption savings for that
tax year.

To calculate savings from the Homeowner Exemption, multiply $10,000 by a home’s local tax rate
that year. A property owner in the City of Chicago with a 2018 local tax rate of 6.803% saved
$680.30 from the Homeowner Exemption. In a different area of Cook County, a property owner
with a 2018 local tax rate of 19.937% saved $1,993.70 from the Homeowner Exemption.

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